


ZAK

by MercurianAmi (Sandy)



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: Complicated - Freeform, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Senshi/Shitennou - Freeform, Threesomes, f!Zoisite
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-08 02:57:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3192644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandy/pseuds/MercurianAmi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoisite's confused.</p><p>Posted because a friend asked if anyone had thought of this and I was all sillily volunteering that I might have once started this and so now I'm posting it so it can be seen by more than RaeRei. Inspired kinda because of the RP that I ran ages ago and met RaeRei through and then eventually the rest of the group.</p><p>I make 0 guarantees that there will ever be more of this written, but I might.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CharlieChaplin2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlieChaplin2/gifts), [Covenmouse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Covenmouse/gifts).



Her left hand was tangled in short blue-black hair, while the two fingers of her right hand pushed into the folds of the smaller woman on top of her. While her fingers reacquainted themselves with Ami’s vagina, her tongue sought entrance into the Senshi’s mouth.

She felt Ami’s breath, gasping in pleasure, felt her body writhing with it, and her own responding to the woman’s ecstasy. Her eyes shut as she took a moment to enjoy this, and when they opened…

When they opened she was staring at her ceiling, her fingers inside her own panties, and she was completely alone.

She sighed as she withdrew her hand, smacking the bed in frustration. “Damnit!”

Getting out of bed, Zoe headed towards the bathroom. A cold shower would help, though it would also remind her more of the woman she’d left. At least she could be clean.

Four months ago, she had left Ami because she was absolutely convinced that her heart belonged to another. Four months ago, the Senshi of Water and Ice had spoken through sobs and told her to go to him. Four months ago, she had left her counterpart for her commander.

She and Ami had remained friends. They got together outside of practices and meetings on a regular basis, and over the last two months, Zoe had noticed that the pain had subsided from Ami’s eyes. She’d also remembered just how beautiful the other woman was, how much her small shy smile would brighten her day.

Standing under the cold water, she let her head fall forward as the water washed over her. She was happy with Kevin. He treated her well, she could get the man to laugh and open up. They were good together. And the sex was amazing.

So why was she dreaming about Ami?

When the dreams first started, she had been confronted by Minako. At the time, she dismissed the blonde Senshi’s words as bitter. Now she wondered if there hadn’t been some truth in them.

_“Zoisite, a word?” Minako’s voice was all business, and Zoe was surprised that she wanted to talk to her at all. She sometimes thought the leader of the Senshi blamed her for everything._

_Kevin’s eyebrow raised, but Zoe smiled at him and nodded slightly. Whatever it was that Minako needed to say to her, she could handle. She could see, by the slight tightening in his jaw, that Kevin was not happy about this, but he nodded and headed down the steps. She knew he’d wait for her at the bottom._

_They were outside the Temple. Rei had rolled her eyes at Minako’s statement and grabbed Ami, pulling her inside before the smaller woman could protest. Makoto and Neil had already left, and Zoe was not sure where Jason had gotten off to. The only ones remaining in the garden were themselves and Mamoru and Usagi._

_“Minako…leave her alone.” Usagi’s voice, usually warm and gentle, was impatient. Zoe knew, and suspected everyone else knew, that the tension weighed heavily on the woman. More than anything, the future queen of the world wanted those for whom she cared the deepest to get along, and Minako’s refusal to let anything go was tearing her liege apart._

_The commander of the Senshi shook her head, “This needs to be said Usagi. Trust me.”_

_Usagi sighed, and Mamoru shot Minako a warning glance, before he began leading Usagi down the steps. “It’ll be all right, Usako. Zoe’s strong.”_

_Minako waited until everyone was out of earshot and then turned her attention back to Zoe. “Stop it.”_

_Zoe frowned. She had expected some kind of grand threat, some kind of final ultimatum. Instead she got a simple two word directive that made little sense. “Stop what, exactly?”_

_“Stop playing with Ami’s emotions, with her heart.” Minako’s voice was hard, her eyes narrowed, and Zoe realized that perhaps she should have asked Kevin not to go so far. This woman had killed her twice before, and she doubted that she would hesitate to do so a third time at the slightest provocation._

_“I’m not playing with her heart. She’s my friend. You know, it’s amazing; two people, when they realize they’re wrong for each other, can actually still remain friends. In fact, they can still love each other, but recognize that there are different kinds of love.” Zoe knew she was treading on dangerous ground, but the anger she’d felt towards the supposed “Senshi of Love” had been growing, and Minako had given her the perfect opportunity to express it. “What amazes me, is that you, of all people, cannot grasp that concept.”_

_Minako’s eyes narrowed further, and it was everything that Zoe could do not to take a step backwards. “Funny, friends don’t look at each other the way I see you looking at Ami.” The other woman stepped closer, and Zoe knew she was being threatened. “I bet you dream about her, don’t you? I just can’t figure out if you are the victim of some curse, or if you’re just one of those people. You know the ones I mean. The ones who are never happy with what they have; the ones who only want what they don’t have. The ones who pull people, innocent and otherwise,” her eyes flashed, and Zoe felt her fear subside as irritation replaced it, “into their spiral of self-destruction. I don’t care how far you take Kunzite with you, but let Ami go.”_

_Her own jaw tightened and she nodded towards the Temple. “You think you’re the only one who sees things, who notices covert glances. You think Kevin was using you, but weren’t you using him just as badly, trying to make Usagi happy. While your heart was somewhere else the whole time.” Zoe sighed and shook her head, “We all thought it was supposed to be one way, and only two of us had the sense not to force things. To be bitter and angry about it…” Zoe shook her head, “There was a time you were believed to be the most beautiful woman in the solar system, but now you’re just a petty sad little thing. I think I pity you.”_

_Minako’s hand flashed from her side and struck Zoe hard. She knew there would be a hand print for a while, but she refused to shake her head to clear the ringing._

_“Regardless of what you think, Zoisite. Hurt Ami again, and I will not hesitate to kill you a third and final time.” Zoe knew that was a promise, and she knew full well that the other woman could keep it. She sighed as she watched Minako storm away and closed her eyes. There were days that she wished everything had worked out the way it was “supposed” to, that she’d never hurt Ami, that Minako and Kevin had been right for each other, that Makoto and Neil had not been the exceptions._

She turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, toweling off before heading back to bed. She caught her reflection in the mirror and sighed, “I think she was right…”

* * *

Kevin took the carefully selected arrangement to the counter. He had chosen some of her favorites, enough for a small bouquet that would look lovely upon her piano. Zoe had always liked beauty, though he was relieved that her passion for the beautiful was not quite as pathological as it had been in the Dark Kingdom. Nonetheless, he hoped that her weakness could be used to bring her back to herself. 

For the past couple of weeks, she had been withdrawing. She would not tell him what was wrong, and for now, Kevin had not tried to get it out of her. After all, it had not affected her performance as a Shitennou, and he figured that it had to do with whatever Minako had said to her.

He focused, instead, on being a good boyfriend. He did little things to try to cheer her up. He asked her to play for him, bought her tickets to her favorite opera, focused even more energy on her during sex. Nothing seemed to be working.

She’d smile and even squeal when appropriate, but Kevin had come to realize that this was mostly an act. Zoe’d still be distant when they talked, and she seemed to be biting her lip a lot more during sex. He sighed as he filled out the card and gave directions to have the flowers delivered to her studio. If he could not figure out how to solve things soon, he was going to have to ask her what was wrong, something he really did not want to have to do.

* * *

Ami shook her head quietly as she ate her sundae--vanilla with M&Ms and a bit of caramel. 

“Aw, come on, Ames. You can cancel your ‘look how mature I am, I hang out with my ex’ night this week.” Minako batted her eyes and ignored the way that Rei was glaring at her.

“I’m not trying to prove a point, Minako. Zoe is my friend. I like spending time with her. It’s that simple. Why can’t we get together on Friday?” She glanced briefly at Rei, hoping to find help from the priestess.

Rei shrugged slightly, “I’m good with whenever. I’ve made this point several times. As have Makoto and Usagi.”

Minako sighed. “I just don’t see why you continue to waste time with her. She is the reason that nothing is right! If she’d just been a boy…”

Rei rolled her eyes as Ami chuckled slightly, “Then this supposed idea of 'right' would have never worked, Minako. Look, we all…” She smiled slightly as Rei cleared her throat, “All right, most of us, got caught up in Usagi’s ideal. It really is not the end of the world that that did not work out. And it’s not Zoe’s fault.”

Minako pouted, and Rei reached over to gently cup her cheek. “I agree. It’s a good thing I’ve got some self-confidence, love.”

Ami smiled. The two were usually pretty quiet about their relationship, but had opened up to Ami over the recent weeks.

“That’s not what I mean! I just…” Minako huffed as she leaned into Rei’s hand. 

“You just need to let it go. You weren’t right for each other, and both of you wanted to be with other people. I don’t see any problem now that you actually are.” Rei’s eyes were compassionate, but there was an edge in her voice that made Ami decide the safest recourse was to take another bite of her ice cream. She could not imagine how Rei felt with Minako’s constant bitterness towards Kevin and Zoe.

“Fine. Friday. Whatever.” Minako sighed.

* * *

Zoe sighed as the delivery came into the studio. More flowers. Fantastic. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and tried to remember how to gush appropriately--though she’d never really been the kind to gush.

“Another bouquet? Girl, you’re either lucky or milking some error of Kevin’s for everything it’s worth!” Her manager had been worried when she’d left Ami for Kevin, but the man had easily charmed Sarah. Of course, Kevin was the kind of man who could charm most women by simply raising one of his perfectly arched eyebrows.

“I’m not milking anything. We’re fine. He’s just…being sweet.” Zoe smiled as she directed the delivery man to place the vase to the side, where they would not be in her way. More importantly, where she could not see them while trying to record.

Sarah raised an eyebrow, but did not say anything until they were alone, “Zoe, I realize it’s not really my place, but I’ve never seen anyone quite so apathetic about receiving flowers. And it’s not just a generic set of roses, there is thought in this.”

Zoe shrugged, “Sorry, I’ve got a lot on my mind.” She forced her smile to grow bigger, praying it looked more sincere than it felt, “And you’re right. I should be more appreciative. It is really sweet.” She glanced at the flowers and noted that none of them were blue.

* * *

The tall man ran his hand through his hair as he studied the device he held in his hand. It was rare that Kevin ever felt like a coward. He had made wrong choices in the past, but he had never once acted the part of the coward. Except, perhaps, when he had waited so long to release Minako, and maybe this was no different.

As he took a deep breath, he thought he would have more confidence with the Senshi if the situation with their leader had worked out better. It amazed him that while she was just as guilty as he was, she would not forgive him.

He growled and entered the number that he needed to dial. “You’re making excuses. Whether she was wrong or not, doesn’t matter.” Besides, it was not even her he was trying to work up the nerve to talk to.

Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, he hit the call button.

It rang three times, and he had to keep himself from hanging up after the first time. “Hello?”

“Um… hi. Ami?” He closed his eyes slightly, of course it was Ami. Who else would be answering her cell phone?

“Yes. Kevin?” Her voice sounded confused, and he supposed that he could not blame her. He had avoided her almost as much as he avoided Minako. Truth be told, he felt guiltier about hurting the genius than the leader.

“Yeah. I was wondering if we could meet somewhere. I need your help with something.” The leader of the Shitennou, a man known for being a warrior, for being unreadable, wondered if he sounded as pathetic as he thought he did.

“Sure. Is everything ok?” He knew the question was really, “Is Zoe ok?”

“I don’t know.” Honesty. Ami was not an enemy, but someone he hoped would be an ally, honesty was the best strategy if he wanted her to trust him and to help him.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Kevin briefly wished he had possessed Jason’s abilities. He would love to know what the woman was thinking. Of course, if he had those, he could figure out what was wrong with Zoe for himself. Perhaps he could simply order Jason to tell him what was bothering Zoe, though he discarded that thought immediately, that was a line he did not want to cross. His thoughts were interrupted by Ami’s voice, “Where and when did you want to meet?”

“Stir Crazy? And…um…would you be available now?” He grimaced. There was no doubt left in his mind; he did sound absolutely pitiful.

“Sure, well, give me fifteen, and I’ll meet you there.” She didn’t sound happy, but at least Ami had agreed to meet with him.

“Thanks.”

* * *

Jason smirked as he beat Neil in the third straight game of Mario Kart on the Wii. “I’m so owning your ass.”

Neil shook his head, “Riiiight. Because beating me at this is soooo the same as me kicking your butt at Tekken 6.”

“Whatever. You’re just bitter because I’ve got the skills.” Jason laughed as he stood and moved into the kitchen, “Want a beer?”

“Yes, but you know Mako’ll get pissed if we’re toasted before she gets here. So just one each.” Neil stood and stretched for a moment, accepting the beer when Jason brought it in.

Jason rolled his eyes, “I’d say she’s got you whipped, but since there really are two couches, I think I won’t take that chance.”

Opening the bottle, Neil shrugged, “Mako doesn’t withhold sex--well, I mean if she gets pissed enough she will definitely not be in the mood, but it’s not about punishing or anything like that. She does, however, withhold the baked goods.”

“Fair enough!” Jason took a swig of his own beer, settling back down on the over stuffed couch. “So…do you think they’ll ever figure it out?”

“Depends which they and it you mean.”

Jason looked over at Neil, “Zoe…”

Neil nodded before he took another drink of his own, “Yeah…actually. I do. Partly because Mako’s pretty close to forcing the issue herself.”

“She was kidding…”

The larger man laughed and shook his head, “No, she wasn’t.”

* * *

Ami tried not to chew on her lip as she arrived at Stir Crazy. Kevin was a good man and had been a friend before. More importantly, he wanted to make Zoe happy, and Ami wanted the same thing--though if she were honest with herself, she’d admit that she’d prefer to be the one making Zoe happy.

She took a deep breath and moved towards the counter, deciding to go ahead and order a drink. Perhaps it would help calm her nerves. As she waited on the vanilla chai to be made, she found a table and sat. The drink was served about the time she saw the tall man enter the coffee shop, and she managed a small wave, if not a smile, for him.

She took a few deep breaths and then a sip of her still hot drink while she waited on him to join her. His drink was simpler--Turkish coffee--and so he brought it with him as he sat opposite of her.

“Thank you for coming.” He smiled, though it was strained, and Ami had to ask herself exactly how much it cost the man for him to come to her for help.

“I want her to be happy, Kevin. I’ll always do what I can to help with that.” Her words were short, and perhaps rude, but she needed him to know that she was not here for him but for the woman who had chosen him over herself. Perhaps Minako was right; perhaps she just needed to stop caring.

He nodded, “I know.” Taking a sip of his coffee, he studied it for a moment before setting it down and turning his attention back to the woman before him. “And I know that this is awkward, for both of us.”

Ami nodded, taking a sip of her own chai and waiting for him to go on. She was not about to make this any easier for him.

Kevin cleared his throat, and under different circumstances, Ami might have been proud of herself for being able to unsettle the usually unflappable man. Today, she just wanted to finish whatever this was.

“Zoe has been…” He sighed and started over, “Something’s bothering her, and she won’t tell me what it is.”

“Have you tried asking her?” Ami raised an eyebrow, and the man shook his head, looking slightly ashamed.

“No, but I don’t think she would tell me even if I did. Whatever it is…it’s eating her up inside. Flowers, evenings I know she’d love, nothing seems to get through to her. Even…” He sighed and stared at the inside of his cup, “Even sex doesn’t seem to help; she’s distant, disinterested.”

“Just going through the motions?” Ami’s voice was soft, and her hand had clenched around her own mug. Everything sounded far too familiar.

Kevin nodded, “Exactly…”

She took a sip of her drink, holding the mug between her hands for comfort. “I’m sorry, Kevin. I’m not sure that there is anything that can help you.”

“Please…I just…if I could figure out something sexually, something that would get her attention, get out of whatever hell she’s putting herself through…”

Ami shook her head, “Do you really think that’ll work?”

“I…I don’t know. But I have to try.” There was a desperation in his voice that she could relate to, so she sighed and nodded.

“The small of her back…pay extra attention to it. She’s very sensitive there, and…yeah, just…the small of her back.” Ami sighed and stood, “That’s all I can suggest. That and talk to her. I know that sometimes she seems like one of the guys, so it’s easy to forget, but she is a girl. Talk to her.”

* * *

The evening had been difficult for Ami. Through their simple dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup--definitely comfort food--she had studied the other woman carefully. Were there the same signs of discontent that she had shown at the end of their relationship? Was she happy?

As they sat on the couch and ate ice cream, she listened for the tiniest nuances and tried not to think too hard about her conversation with Kevin.

“Ami? You here?”

She blinked as Zoe waved a hand in front of her face, smirking slightly. “You’ve been somewhere else all evening. Everything ok?”

Ami blushed slightly, but did not respond immediately. After all she doubted, _I was just thinking that you and Kevin seem to be having troubles,_ or _I gave your boyfriend tips on how to have sex with you today, sorry if I’m kind of in a weird place at the moment,_ would go over well.

“Ami?”

She shook her head slightly, “I’m fine. Sorry, just…lot on my mind, I guess.” She blinked as she realized how close Zoe had gotten and found herself licking her lips.

“I used to be able to clear your mind…” Zoe’s words were soft, and before Ami could respond to them, Zoe was kissing her. For a moment, she was reciprocating, but only a moment. Remembering why they could not do this, she pulled away, her eyes wide.

Zoe’s expression was one of guilt and regret. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should go.” 

Ami did not say anything as Zoe fled, but as she sat starting at the closed door that the other woman had raced through, she touched her lips and wondered.

* * *

Ami sat at the bar in Stir Crazy, idly using her straw to stir the now cold chai that sat in front of her. When things were slow, Makoto would move over to talk to her; this was never the best place for private conversations, but Ami wasn’t really talking anyway.

Makoto moved over as a customer came up, she smiled and got the man’s order, thanking him as he deposited the change plus a dollar in the tip cup, and moved to get his drink.

All the while, she wanted to shake the moping woman. Ami was her friend, probably her best friend. The few times her thoughts had turn to women, it had always been Ami who featured most prominently, though Makoto was more than happy with her current relationship, and did not want to add any more complications. That did mean, however, that Ami’s situation was driving her crazy.

When Keiko came back from break, the older woman looked between the two. “Makoto, how long have I been working for you?”

Makoto blinked, her attention torn from her friend to her employee. “Since I opened Stir Crazy.”

“Mmm-hmm, and you did make me a manager, correct?” Her expression was serious, but Makoto read a bit of amusement in her eyes as well.

“Yeah.”

“Then trust me to take care of the shop. Go take care of your friend. I promise, we’ll still be here tomorrow.” Keiko held out her hand for Makoto’s apron, and her stance made it clear she’d not accept no for an answer. 

Chuckling, she handed it over. “Thanks. Could you make Ami a fresh chai to go while I grab my stuff.”

“And a macchiato for you. I’m on it, just go.”

Ami blinked in surprise as the older woman handed her the to-go cup and Makoto gently guided her out of the store. They walked together in silence for a few minutes, before Makoto looked over at the smaller woman, “So…want to tell me what’s going on?”

Without looking up, Ami sighed. “She kissed me.”

Makoto grinned, “And?”

“And! She kissed me. And I feel horrible because I’m happy about it. I have no right to be happy about it though. She’s with Kevin. She chose him, but I know they’re having a hard time because he came to me for advice, which was all kinds of awkward, but then she kissed me…and I don’t know, Maybe…but that makes me a horrible person.” 

Makoto wondered if Ami had any idea how attractive she was when she was flustered--blushing, talking a thousand miles a minute.

“You feel bad because you still want to be with the woman you love and hope it’s possible? Um, Ami…that makes you human.” She smiled.

“But she chose Kevin!”

Makoto nodded, guiding the woman towards her own home. “And now you’re hoping she’ll realize that had been a mistake and come back to you. Again, human.”

Ami sighed, and Makoto decided to allow her to walk the rest of the way in silence. Though when she guided her up the steps towards her front door, Ami blinked, “Makoto?”

“We can talk more comfortably here. The boys are out for the day, and I can fix us something to eat.”

“Oh, ok.” Ami smiled, allowing herself to look up at her friend.

Once they were within the apartment, Makoto sighed as she picked up some beer bottles. “Sorry. They usually pick up after themselves, but I suppose they didn’t expect me home early today.” She smiled over to Ami, “Have a seat, grilled cheese?”

“Yes, please.”

Ami relaxed as she waited, forcing herself to calm down. She had almost fallen asleep when she heard Makoto chuckle, “I’d let you sleep, but I think you need a friend to talk to more than that just now.”

Accepting the sandwich, Ami shrugged, “I don’t know what else there is to say. I want Zoe back, and I think she wants me back, but I don’t want to be a bitch about it.”

Makoto nodded and sat down, “Can…I offer an opinion?” At Ami’s nod, Makoto took a deep breath before continuing, “I think all three of you are looking at this incorrectly.” Ami frowned at that, but Makoto pushed on, “You’re all seeing this as an either/or proposition. Zoe’s either with you or with Kevin.”

The frown deepened as Ami interrupted her, “You think she shouldn’t be with either of us?”

“No…I think she was miserable not being with Kevin and that she’s miserable now not being with you.”

Ami’s frown showed that she did not fully understand what Makoto was saying, so she tried another tactic. “You know that Jason lives with us.” Ami nodded, but before she could say anything about how wonderful it was that they let him crash here, Makoto raised a hand, “What you don’t know is that he’s not a guest. And, well…he doesn’t even have his own bedroom.” She could see Ami’s brain working on that. The woman might be a genius, and she might read romance novels, but she could be slow at times, “Ami, Jason is part of us. Neil, Jason, and I…we’re a triple.”

“Oh!”

Makoto gently reached for her friend’s hand, “I couldn’t make Neil decide, and quite frankly, it did not take much for Jase and I to come to love each other as well. It’s not easy. It requires a lot of open communication and honesty, but it’s not impossible. I think the real question you need to be asking yourself is whether you can stand the thought of being with a man, of being with Kevin. If not, then I still think the three of you need to sit down and figure out something, because it’s obvious this is hurting all of you.”

“Makoto…I…we…I…” Ami shook her head.

“I know, sweetie”

* * *

Kevin stared at his friend. “You’re not serious.”

Neil took a swig of his beer, “I am. And I think you ought to consider it.”

“Wait…why exactly are you telling me this?”

“Exactly? Because Makoto promised to do whatever I wanted if I did.” Neil shrugged, “Seemed simple enough.”

“That is disgusting.” Kevin took a sip of his brandy and started to stand up.

“Wait? Oh! No, I meant…for dinner.” Neil smirked. “I’ve not had a good lasagna for a while, even though she could easily cook circles around most Western chefs with one hand tied behind her back. She usually sticks to what’s more natural to her. I swear, man, this is about lasagna.”

“Mmm. I suppose that’s marginally better. But I’ll be honest, Neil, I don’t quite see how your…situation…applies.” His eyebrow was raised, and Neil had to suppress a groan. 

“You’re kidding me, right?” Neil shook his head, “I’m going to be honest, here, Kev. You and Ami are complete and total idiots. I mean, it’s fine to have a moral objection, or just not be willing to go there, but for two smart people, you’re morons. Both of you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Look, Zoe is in the same position I was, except neither of you are able to see it. She keeps choosing and neither choice seems right, because neither choice is right.” He shook his head and downed the rest of his beer.

“It’s not even possible, Neil. Even if that is Zoe’s predicament, what you’re suggesting is not even possible. Ami is a lesbian, not bi. And last time, I checked, I’m male.”

Neil rolled his eyes. “Are you telling me you’re not attracted to her? Just talk to them. Maybe you can work something out. Something that will keep your little drama from destroying the team.” He slapped some money down on the bar, “Think about it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize Ami's advice isn't particularly interesting. Perhaps it's all she can think of that she thinks he might not realize, or perhaps she really doesn't trust him with more all things considered. Or perhaps when I wrote this I couldn't think of anything more interesting or bold without overly embarrassing myself. Pick your interpretation. ;-)
> 
> Also, I want grilled cheese now...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if Z is the vertex, why is this called ZAK? Because the idea spun from a time so long ago I was still trying to figure things out (though as you can see by the f!Z by the time I started writing I had). RaeRei's Z was Zachary (which is why on my AIM she's still listed as ZachaRei because she also played Rei). I played Ami and picked up Kunzite (though I don't remember what his name was tbh) because he was unloved. The Minako was bad, and so Rae's Z was falling for K while the still in the stone part of Z was still in love with A (maybe also K? We never explored that). And then Rae wrote a heart breaking piece that is around somewhere where A tells Z to go be with K. And then somehow this was born. I don't even know. So it's a bad pun.
> 
> Also, ZAK is easier for my English morphemes to pronounce than AZK or KZA.

Zoe frowned as she sat at the table with the two of them. Neither were the most socially graceful--Ami even now continued to be shy and quiet, and Kevin was the strong silent type that easily won over girls but rarely opened himself to others. She was used to some level of awkward when out with either of them. 

However, being out with both of them was extremely uncomfortable. They avoided each other, and she knew that was all her fault. She put them in the position in which they hated each other. Even with that, though, she had expected them to be civil.

Rubbing her forehead she sighed, “You two were the ones who wanted to do this. So are we just going to sit here in awkward silence all evening? Because if so, I think I’d like to call it an early night and go home.”

Ami looked up from her hands--the fact that she had them in her lap and was staring at them told Zoe everything she needed to know about the young doctor’s emotional state. “No...we just...I...it’s...I don’t know how to do this. I’m sorry. I don’t know if this is even what is right or if it can work. And...and there’s a lot I don’t know.”

And Ami did not like not knowing. Wasn’t that why she’d released her to Kevin in the first place, because logic and reason said that Zoe would be happier. Being Ami, she had weighed all the options, considered all the angles, and decided that fighting to keep Zoe would not be what would make Zoe the happiest, so she’d sent her to Kevin.

It also meant that when Ami was lost and flustered, she could be incoherent. 

Zoe looked to Kevin for clarification. Seeing Kevin reach over to put a comforting on Ami’s shoulder she blinked.

“Ok.” She looked between the two of them, frowning. “What’s going on. You...you don’t reach out to touch anyone. Mamoru, me, but...”

Kevin raised an eyebrow, but pulled his hand back. Ami’s eyes had returned to her hands, and for one moment Zoe was terrified of what she was going to hear. “You’re leaving me for Ami?”

“No!”

Ami looked up, eyes full of panic. “No...no...no, of course not. No. Zoe...no.”

“You’re rambling. You never ramble. Usagi rambles; Minako rants; Jason rambles. I ramble; I’m rambling now. You don’t ramble. You never ramble.” She looked back to Kevin, “And you don’t do the touchy feely thing. So tell me now what is going on, because this is too much, and I can’t awkward my way through dinner with all this, and quite frankly, between the two of you, I can awkward my way through anything, so you cannot leave this here; you cannot leave this hanging; you cannot.”

Kevin glanced at Ami, who grimaced and nodded, biting her lip in a way that drove Zoe crazy. It took her a moment to realize that Kevin had just asked Ami for permission. She half expected Helios to walk up and tell her this was some crazy dream and she needed to wake up now.

”Just tell me!”

“After receiving some unsolicited advice, both of us separately, we have had some very difficult and uncomfortable conversations, and would like to propose that we figure out how to...be a threesome.”

Zoe blinked. This was joke. This had to be a joke. Except that, Kevin would not make that kind of joke, and Ami--in two lifetimes, Zoe had never seen Ami that precise shade of red.

“How would that even work?”

* * *

“This is all your fault.”

Jason looked over at his drunk best friend. “You’re welcome?”

Zoe snorted and took a swig of her beer.

“So, you want to tell me why it is that the best possible scenario has happened and you’re sitting here crying into your beer as if you’ve just been dumped?”

“If this is the best that could have happened, then I am well and truly screwed.” Zoe shook her head, laughing sadly. “And it’s all your fault.”

“You are...literally giving me a headache. So if you want to vent and explain to me how this is so horrible and then how it’s my fault, in that order, please feel free to do so. But if your plan is to just sit here and get drunk and abuse me through my empathy, then I’ll call you a cab to take you home, since I doubt you want me calling either Kevin or Ami, and go to my own home. Because tonight is Thursday, and on Thursdays, Makoto bakes cookies and she does so in a slinky little black number that is not remotely practical but which Neil and I quite enjoy seeing her in because it just barely covers her ass and perfectly frames her amazing breasts. And I’ll just let you imagine what we do once the cookies are done, so...appreciate what I’m doing by being here for you tonight, or get yourself drunk on your own.”

“You don’t fight fair.” Zoe sighed, “Also, I kind of hate you right now.”

Jason chuckled, “Yeah, trust me, that is coming through loud and clear. So, how is it so difficult? You don’t have to pick anymore. You have them both; you don’t have to be with one and feel guilty because you want to be with the other. So how is this horrible?”

She laughed, a deep, loud laugh, and Jason knew that it was a laugh of hysteria. “I don’t have to choose? I have to choose every night. Every single night. And I have to be careful to keep it balanced so that neither of them feels like I’m choosing the other more, and I happen to be in love with the two most rational, quiet people, neither of whom would complain, who would say to me, ‘I really need you to choose me tonight.’ Neither of whom would allow themselves to snap at the other or demonstrate jealousy at all. And so we sit on the couch, and Kevin wraps his arms around me and breathes in the scent of my hair and rains kisses down on my neck, and Ami curls up in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder, her fingers intertwined in mine and a hand gently touching my thigh or my breast in that shy momentary brushy way she does, and that would be fine, actually it’d be perfect! But they are so very careful not to touch each other, almost like they’re pretending it’s just the two of us and the other doesn’t exist, and then the movie ends and I have to decide which bed I’m sleeping in, and I hate it. I can’t do this. And I hate them for making me, and I hate you.”

“Oooook, so I mean, I get that talking to them about it will probably be full of the awkward, but,” Jason shrugged, “Kind of sounds like you have to. So, why do you hate me?”

“Because! If you had kept your feelings to yourself and not forced your way into Neil’s relationship, then neither of you would have considered talking to either of them and...”

“And you’d be stuck in the cycle of breaking up with one or the other...and would it get shorter each time? Until they both hated you? Also, I’d be miserable, and Neil would be miserable, and I’m pretty sure Mako would be miserable, so...” Jason shrugged, “Screw you.”

* * *

Upon returning to the apartment, Jason was ready to let Makoto know that she had been completely wrong. His head was throbbing, and while his conscience tried to tell him that passing Zoe’s anger and pain onto Makoto would be wrong, the steady beat of the headache drowned those concerns out. 

He was ready to let her have it, but when he opened the door, a plate with migraine medicine and cookies sat on the key table. Before he even bothered to kick off his shoes, he dry swallowed the proffered pill. Damn woman and her thoughtfulness killing his anger. He sighed as he kicked off his shoes and picked up the plate with the cookies.

When he entered the living room, Neil and Makoto were sitting on the couch, though there was a space between them. Taking a bite of a cookie, he muttered a hello as they both patted the space, inviting him to sit down. “Cookies, pain medication, and I get the middle? I really wanted to stay mad…” He huffed almost playfully as he sat and was immediately wrapped in their arms.

It always seemed odd to Jason when either of them played with his hair--while he liked his just fine, he was pretty sure he won the “Shitennou with the most boring hair” award. He definitely did in this relationship, which was fine by him because he loved both of their hair! But he did not complain as Makoto’s fingers combed through his hair. Instead, he closed his eyes and breathed in deep, the love and warmth helping him to find his center again.

It was a few moments before he again broke the soothing quiet. “I don’t know if they can do it. If they were ready for it.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is as far as I've gotten. I might have thoughts. I might put those thoughts on paper. I might try to make this more than them navigating whatever this thing is. Or I might die of embarrassment.
> 
> Also, I'm pretty sure the MNJ is really J and ALL THE HAIR. ;-)


	3. Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinda a short chapter but it would be silly to try to extend it.

If you asked Zoe, she could not tell you the last time she actually paid attention to a movie. Which would be fine if she were enjoying the normally enjoyable distractions. It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy Kevin’s kisses or Ami’s subtle little touches. It was more that it annoyed her that they seemed to be so predictably spaced, except not, and she was far too aggravated to try to decipher the logarithms either was using.

With a growl, she stood up, causing them both to fall inward just a bit, toward each other. She felt horrible about it, but it made her smirk anyway.

“This isn’t working. I can’t do this. Not like this. The two of you…” Ok, this was probably not what talking to them was supposed to look like, but at that moment, Zoe was pretty sure she did not care. “Talk. Fix…” she gestured at them, “this.” And with that eloquent eloquence, she stormed off into her room, loudly slamming the door.

The idea that she was acting like a spoiled brat did not bother her in the least.

* * *

The pair sat there in silence, as Kevin had turned off the movie when Zoe had jumped up. Ami did not need to glance at the clock to know it had been 4 minutes and 37 seconds since Zoe slammed her door when Kevin quietly said, “She’s right.”

Ami nodded and continued to stare at her hands which were clenched in front of her. She knew Zoe was right, but she didn’t know what else to do. Zoe had seemed to suggest that she and Kevin were the ones who needed to fix things, but what and how?

After 3 minutes and 56 seconds, Kevin spoke again, “How do we fix it?”

He sounded as forlorn as Ami felt as she shook her head slightly.

“Oh for crying out loud!” Zoe came back out, her hair now pulled back and a sweater on. “Try being friends!” She shook her head as she stared at the pair of them, and Ami felt herself shrinking a bit. “Right now, we’re not a triple or a triad or...we’re not a family. You two need to...I don’t know...stop pretending the other doesn’t exist? Be friends? Like the other! Look, I’m not asking that you two have a romantic relationship, and Ami, sweetie…” Her voice softened a bit, and Ami looked up at her.

“Love, no one is asking or expecting you to kiss or anything else, I promise. Your boundaries will always be respected, but if we want to do this living together as a single unit thing, then you two just need to want the other to be happy, too, you know.”

With a sigh, Zoe walked over and kissed them both on the cheek before moving toward the door. “I’m going to the studio...do...whatever you want.”

* * *

Ami was not certain how much time had passed, her own thoughts whirling, when Kevin asked, “A game of chess?”

“I’d like that.” She smiled as he pulled the small table that the set was kept on over and then grabbed a chair for himself.

The game had proceeded in silence, and she was studying the board, watching as he castled his king. Ami wondered if he realized how very metaphorical such a move was, and then wondered when she started reading metaphors into chess rather than strategy.

“I don’t blame you if you resent me.”

Looking up from the board at Kevin, Ami frowned. “Why would I resent you?” Even as she asked she moved her bishop.

“For stealing Zoe from you.” 

“No.” She saw his eyes widen at her response. “Don’t you dare claim to have stolen her. Zoe is an adult, fully capable of making her own decisions, and to claim to have stolen her is not only to treat her as an object that can be stolen but to deny her autonomy and her choices. And mine.”

Kevin’s jaw dropped, though he quickly closed his mouth rather than imitating a fish. It was a moment before he nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Two moves later, he spoke again. “You know, I’ve always respected you. Admired you, even.”

That time Ami looked up in surprise, but he continued before she could ask him why.

“You stay so calm even in crisis, quickly analyzing what needs to be done. And yet you care about your friends as much as anyone. You stayed friends with Zoe even after she left you.” Kevin managed not to break eye contact, though she could see a slight twitch in his eye, slight, ever so slight. 

“She’s my friend, Kevin. She’s precious to me, and if that meant a platonic relationship, then I’d count myself lucky to be among her friends.”

Kevin smiled a bit, “That’s what I mean. You were even willing to help me…” He did break eye contact for a moment at that.

Ami smiled, “I tried, even if it was awkward, and probably not very helpful. Sorry about that. You had caught me off guard…” When he shook his head at her, she continued. “I did resent you for a while. Or perhaps its more honest to say I was jealous. You...she chose you over me, and I kind of hated you for it.”

“She chose you first, and not because she had to.” He held up his hand. “We both know her well enough to know she really did chose you.”

Blushing Ami looked down and made her move.

Three turns later, the silence was again broken, as Ami said, “Checkmate.”

* * *

By the third game, he was drinking lemonade and she had water, and they had moved the chess set to the couch, so that they were both sitting on the couch playing. It meant he was sitting slightly turned, so he could stretch his legs out. He wondered if she realized how cute she was, curled onto the couch, biting her lip when his strategy was almost good enough to make her think.

“Zoe’s right. We...have been treating her both like a prize to win and the judge of a never ending competition.” She was biting her lip again after she spoke, but he was pretty sure it was from embarrassment not concentration.

He nodded. “If we were being more charitable to ourselves, I think it’s more likely that we were focusing on trying to share fairly, but I don’t know that that’s actually much better.”

Ami nodded, moved a pawn, and then took a deep breath. “I’m not actually sad or upset most of the time that she chooses you. Sometimes, but...not most of the time.”

Kevin looked at the board and then at Ami. He was good at strategy, even if Ami was often a couple of steps ahead of him, but he was not sure he could engage both the game and this conversation. So, instead, he took a sip of his lemonade and stood. “Zoe picked up the good quality vanilla bean ice cream. Can I be presumptuous enough to assume you’d like to join me in having some?”

“That would be nice.” She smiled at him, and he moved into the kitchen to scoop out two bowls of ice cream.

When he returned, he handed one to her and then sat back down. “I feel the same way. There are moments of jealousy, but for the most part, I’m happy for the two of you.”

Ami took a bite of the ice cream, closing her eyes as she savored the reach vanilla flavor. “So what do we do?”

Kevin shrugged, “We stop competing. And we remind her that there are some things she’s smarter than either of us about. So when we are being idiots, she needs to call us on it.”

A giggle was his answer to that. “She’ll enjoy that power far too much, you know?”

“I very much do.”

* * *

Zoe expected to come home to a silent apartment, with them both having retreated to their rooms. She did not expect to see them sitting on the couch playing “Chess. You’re playing chess. Have you been playing chess all night?”

Kevin made a move with his rook and then looked up. “Mostly. Yes. Welcome home.”

“Check.” Ami grinned. “You’ve not quite lost this game yet, though.” She then turned around to smile at Zoe. “Hi. Sorry about...earlier.”

“You’re playing chess.” She shook her head, smiling as she came over to the couch, glanced down at the board and chuckled, “Yet was right. Has he won even one game.”

“I came close in the fourth game.” Kevin shrugged with a grin.

Ami nodded, “You really did.” 

Zoe sighed happily and settled in to watch them finish the game. Maybe things would work out alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for vaguery, I can play, but not awesome enough to possibly really describe Kunzite's game, much less Ami's!


End file.
